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Kansas lawmakers responded to budget shortfalls in the past dozen years by cumulatively withdrawing $1.4 billion previously earmarked for transportation improvements across the state.

This mountain of cash that would have been devoted to reconfiguring clogged highway arteries, bridge construction and sponsoring other modernization initiatives since 2000 was invested by bipartisan action of legislators and governors into operations of the Kansas Highway Patrol, subsidized airline tickets in Wichita and, in a new twist, state Medicaid programs.

The drain on the Kansas Department of Transportation in the current fiscal year totals $238 million. That is a nearly $50 million increase from the year before.

KDOT Secretary Deb Miller said continued subtraction from the transportation piggy bank for support of general government expenditures would jeopardize obligations across the state under the new 10-year highway improvement plan.

"This is over," Miller said, tapping her office conference table during an interview with The Topeka Capital-Journal. "It is just not possible to take more from this program and then go back and credibly say to the public we're still going to do what was promised."

Miller, who is stepping down in December as the agency's top administrator after serving three governors, said KDOT improved transportation infrastructure in the past decade despite raids on highway funding because it began the period with large reserves and refinanced bond debt to free up money for work. KDOT also made extensive use of federal stimulus dollars for state highways and benefited from conditions moderating construction inflation, she said.

The amount of money in play in this financial web at KDOT headquarters in Topeka is huge.

For example, KDOT received $268 million for state roads from the 2009 federal stimulus known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. In the 2010 fiscal year, the agency was required by the Legislature and Gov. Mark Parkinson to surrender $189 million. Losses from the state highway fund in fiscal year 2011, which ended in June, were $190 million.

Gov. Sam Brownback authorized removal of $205 million from KDOT in the current fiscal year to avoid cuts to the state Medicaid program. The state also tapped into the agency for $33 million, which was forwarded to the highway patrol.

KDOT has been forced to become far more sophisticated in how it handles appropriations for the road system, Miller said.

"I don't want to imply to anybody any of this is easy or that you can continue to do it year after year after year," Miller said. "We're having to manage very tightly."

Brownback, a Topeka Republican, said the state should seek alternatives to another massive sweep of KDOT in preparing a budget blueprint for the upcoming fiscal year. He will have the benefit of rising state tax revenue in the quest to hold the line at KDOT.

Senate President Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, said he would oppose removal of future funding from KDOT in the fiscal year 2013 budget.

The economic gain in construction jobs and improved road systems outweighed the benefit derived from a quick fix for balancing the budget, he said.

"I'm against taking more," Morris said. "Highway plans are important in economic development and quality of life. We've got to have those projects go forward."

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, said the current 10-year highway program, if left unaltered in budget or scope, would create an estimated 175,000 temporary or permanent jobs.

"There's no better economic development than repairing roads, bridges and highways," Hensley said. "There's no question we've raided the highway fund too many times. We need to stop doing that."

Hensley said there could be movement during the upcoming legislative session to repeal a provision of a 2-year-old law that dedicates 0.4 of a percent in statewide sales tax to financing KDOT.

Miller, who has served as KDOT secretary since being appointed by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius in 2003, said pressure on KDOT's budget over the 12-year period didn’t jeopardize the safety of motorists in Kansas.

Commitment to the safety of drivers, she said, could be illustrated by the recent decision to install median cable barriers on two separate two-mile sections of K-10 highway between Interstate 435 in Johnson County and Lawrence. More than $500,000 was made available for that work.

Miller said KDOT paid keen attention during this period to completing projects that had been "clearly and knowingly" promised to Kansas taxpayers. Highway departments in other states, including Missouri, that broke promises suffered a credibility crisis, she said.

Renewal by Kansas government of action to peel away highway appropriations will come with consequences, Miller said.

"If we continue to lose money," she said, "we're going to have to eliminate projects. Period."

Tim Carpenter can be reached at (785) 295-1158 or timothy.carpenter@cjonline.com.

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Funnel money to nonproductive slugs for medical care and let the highways go to heck; highways do not vote! You folks that travel on these highways to get to work should be raising cain. Your vehicles suffer from the neglect and the congestion keeps you away from your family longer. It's time to prioritize, would you say?

The Republicans have had
absolute control of the Legislature of the past century--so all of those siphonings have come from conservative idiots. And Brownback was the one for authorized the Medicaid funding.

Miller says it like it is. The idea that gas tax and vehicle fees go to medicaid is nuts. I'm disappointed that this governor is letting Miller get away. Her appointment at KDOT was one of only a few things I'd agree that Sebelius did was worthwhile. I'll be surprised if Brownback finds a better Secy of KDOT..........we'll see.

PS.....why the reporter included the 59-second video is a mystery to me.

KDOT has had the luxury of funding programs for up to 10 years out, while the KS Legislature is unwilling to fund Kansas public schools adequately even on a year to year basis. They've created financial management nightmares for our schools. Follow the money and you see where their priorities are and who their buddies are.

over the years have sucked funds from many sources. Example, the state retriement system KPERS, by not funding the states share for years. Why is anyone surprised they wouldn't pull funds from anywhere else?

and Engineering Degree available? Siphon money from highways and every other program was the normal course of business for a long time. Look at how the Legislature funded their liablities in the retirement system while increasing the goodies for their own retirements!

Robbing Peter to pay Paul, then taking from Paul to pay for votes. Those who blame Sebelius are ignorant. It's the legislature who decides where the money is coming from. The Governor can only do things with the money, once the budget has been approved. Of course, we have our current governor, who ignores the wishes of the legislature and by executive order dissolves departments, and consolidates agencies under his thumb. Yep, Republicans really know how to milk the system, rather than create revenue streams to pay for needed services, and infrastructure. Be proud those who voted for them all.

"Gov. Sam Brownback authorized removal of $205 million from KDOT in the current fiscal year.........also tapped into the agency for $33 million...."

Brownback along with our overwhelming republican state legislature balanced the state's budget by taking job creating dollars from President Obama's stimulus program and raiding the highway funds.

Just in case your head is so hard that that didn't get in there the first time that was BROWNBACK & THE REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED LEGISLATURE.

So not only did Brownback and his band of republicans cause the presidents job creating stimulus money to not do its intended job they also caused the loss of even more jobs by raiding the state's highway funds.

A big thanks goes out to all of you total bozos that voted for that clown.

I'll bet you're all laughing real hard now. Come on jerks where's all your indignation for these people when you have the facts thrown right in your face that they are the one's sticking it to Kansas?

"...since 2000 was invested by bipartisan action of legislators and governors ..."

"Miller, who is stepping down in December as the agency's top administrator after serving three governors..."

"Miller, who has served as KDOT secretary since being appointed by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius in 2003, said pressure on KDOT's budget over the 12-year period..."

During Miller's term, that's 7 years with Democrats as Governor, and less than a year with a Republican. But, I'm not blaming just Democrat governors. I'm not blaming just Republican-heavy legislatures. I'm not blaming just Miller.

My question is, if this has been going on for Miller's entire time, why wasn't she bellyaching and "tapping her table ' to exclaim "This is over!" until just now, as she's walking out the door?

NOW that someone else will have to deal with it...NOW it's a big issue to raise? Why not before...like sometime during the past 8 years? Could it be that she didn't want to cause problems for someone...until NOW?

Anyway, this is one of the most frustrating things about government. The shell game. This perfectly points out WHY there is so much opposition over always just wanting to raise taxes.
THEY DON'T MANAGE THE MONEY PROPERLY! And, some want to just keep giving them more?

republican
An individual who believes that the white male Christian God should be the only object of worship on the planet, that power and wealth should remain in the hands of 1% of the world's population while the remaining 99% starve, that health care should be privatized so the poor can't afford basic medication, that a rape victim living on welfare should be forced to care for a baby she didn't even ask for, and that America is the only real country on Earth while all those other countries they read about are just fakes invented by communists...oh wait, it's terrorists now, isn't it?
We can all hope that the standard of education in America improves to the point where a Republican can no longer be voted into office.http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=republican

...do you EVER have anything even closely relevant to the topic...or is the ONLY thing you can ever come up with the regurgitated puke of left-wing idiots to attack those you disagree with?

Never mind, the answer is obvious. Your precious progressive party of lying hypocritical haters do not ALLOW you to think, and certainly won't allow you to form an opinion based on facts, to actually engage in anything resembling intelligent debate or sharing of ideas.

It's easier for you that way. They want you to all be equally ignorant.

that the small heavy equipment companies are suffering because of this. They say they are so concerned about the small business. When funds are cut, jobs are cut from the bid schdule. When that happens small companies have no jobs to bid on. No jobs, more people on unemployment. Also, the companies from other states are coming in and taking the jobs away from Kansas companies. It is not right that the state will do this. Keep our tax dollars in the state. It doesn't take a really smart person to figure this out. The state work is 95% of our income..that goes..we go..then we are just another company that lost because of the idiots in the state system messing with the KDOT budget. We are already seeing the cut backs..drive on hwy75 between Topeka and Holton...that shows you how our tax money is being spent. It really is all over the state. Kansas was known for having the best highways in the nation...now...we will be like Missouri before long.

How do you think the tax increase was passed to fund the transportation bill? The legislature sold it with promises of great roads, new bridges, and good access to all cities. Instead they had their slush fund, where they could tell their constituents, "We didn't raise taxes." Do you think that Deb Miller would have kept her job, if she complained about how the legislature was operating? You already knew why, Nunya, and already knew whose fault it was, that the state in the financial condition it is today. They did it with the KPERS money (which Lynn Jenkins was supposed to oversee when she was State Treasurer, but didn't say anything when the legislature raided it), proving once again, the republican legislature's modus operandi, and a public official who wanted to keep her job.

If you're saying you would not want to be part of the 1% you would have to be nuts! If I could be part of the !% I wouldn't have to read all this garbage by whiners. I don't see any of these people with millions of dollars trying to pay more in taxes when asked to.! If you think for one moment that Obama is turning down money (anyone for that matter ) you are living in a make believe world.

...who attack, apparently, without reading an entire post, I'll paste a part of my first post here...because I realize you can't read past the poster's name to actually see what's in the post (just like you think it's a good idea to pass a bill so you can see what's in it). Or, maybe it's just too difficult for you to read more than a paragraph?

"But, I'm not blaming just Democrat governors. I'm not blaming just Republican-heavy legislatures. I'm not blaming just Miller."

There...more fodder for your mindless and baseless attacks. I blamed them ALL, but not all totally. Blaming your progressive-liberal masters for ANYTHING is not something idiot liberals seem to be capable of.

You folks really should take some reading comprehension courses. Then, you wouldn't consistently make yourselves appear to be so stupid. I don't think you're really that stupid. I just think maybe you don't comprehend, and so, you're only capable of regurgitating the vile rhetoric of your leftist puppeteers.

Are you in such a state of denial, you won't admit what you really want is a complete change of government? I want that too. Let's fire everyone, and replace them with honest people who will tell the truth. What we have now is entrenchment. Mike O'Neill thinks he can get away with anything, because he is Speaker of the House. He can be a paid lobbyist, and influence the vote to benefit the companies who pay him, and the "Ethics" committee says that's perfectly fine. The Governor can hire someone from Florida without vetting them, then takes no responsibility when the phony is exposed as someone who bought his diploma. These are Republicans doing this, yet you blame some mythical Liberal Progressives for commenting on it. What is it that you want? The government of status quo, or people who don't think like you to stop complaining about it?

"Are you in such a state of denial, you won't admit what you really want is a complete change of government? I want that too. Let's fire everyone, and replace them with honest people who will tell the truth."

FINALLY. Now we're getting somewhere. I consistently acknowledge that Republicans and Democrats are just two sides of the same old tarnished coin.

Although I do lean right on most fiscal and social issues, I do realize the need for being responsible for helping people who truly cannot help themselves, and to help those who have setbacks to help themselves out of their troubles. I'm not heartless. Quite the contrary. I just believe strongly in personal responsibility, and that seems to be greatly lacking in this society these days. The main reason I blast liberals more is that most can't seem to admit that Democrats are at least as sleazy, greedy and dishonest as Republicans.

It's ALL about power from ALL of them. Democrats don't care one bit about me, or you. Right now, I believe they are purposely trying to overload the system to force everyone to rely on government for even the most basic things. If you rely completely on someone...you have lost ALL freedom of choice. Do it their way, or suffer.

When liberals start complaing about the Democrats, start realizing they are being played by the mass media, and start admitting Democrats are every bit as sleazy as Republicans, then maybe we can get something done...together.

On that note, I have to commend Steve Kroft, of the normally left-leaning 60 Minutes, for perfectly demonstrating that last Sunday. It's BOTH sides. I'll continue to try to point out that truth. Unfortunately, it will involve ticking off liberals...which seems too easy to do, anyway, for some reason.

"An individual who believes that the white male Christian God should be the only object of worship on the planet, that power and wealth should remain in the hands of 1% of the world's population while the remaining 99% starve, that health care should be privatized so the poor can't afford basic medication, that a rape victim living on welfare should be forced to care for a baby she didn't even ask for, and that America is the only real country on Earth while all those other countries they read about are just fakes invented by communists...oh wait, it's terrorists now, isn't it?"

Wow - amazing.
Do you realize that the 1% line is about 340k? That's for an individual.
By your logic people making 300k/yr are starving.
The 50k line is at about 25%
The 20K line is at about 65%
I don't think many individuals making 20k a year are starving.

There is plenty of opportunity in this country for people to make a decent living. Not everyone will earn their place among the wealthy, but that's just it - you don't have to be wealthy to live well.

As for the budget situation - The secy doesn't make the rules, certainly not with how KDOT's money is spent. She doesn't hold the key to KDOT's money, nor will her replacement. They make their opinions known to the decision makers regarding the budget and those people decide where and how the money will be used. Miller could have jumped on the table and stomped her feet and it wouldn't have changed how things were done.

To those who think KDOT gets too much money since they can obviously afford to give up so much. KDOT does not operate on a principle of the bare minimum. Our neighbors to the east do, and look where they've ended up. Each year for the past several years KDOT has gone through a process of removing roads and bridges from the replacement list in order to meet the budget demands. All of these items were on that list for a reason. Fortunately we have a GOOD infrastructure, but as projects get pushed back year after year there are segments that continue to deteriorate.

Times are lean, and I believe most semi-intelligent people understand that. Everyone has to make sacrifices. IMO, at some point we need to let KDOT actually USE what they've budgeted.